


This house is falling apart

by trashemdudes



Category: Batman (Comics), DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: M/M, Maybe - Freeform, So I think Bruce's fiance during his amnesia phase is named Julia, probably
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-17
Updated: 2016-08-17
Packaged: 2018-08-09 08:08:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,081
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7793872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trashemdudes/pseuds/trashemdudes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>His father doesn't remember him and everything is wrong.</p>
            </blockquote>





	This house is falling apart

**Author's Note:**

> DC's characters.

It was strange.

The Batcave was silent now. Drake and Todd rarely worked out of it except when the occasional situation arose where they needed to use the equipment there. But Damian returned there almost every night to inspect the area and ensure that nothing had changed - that no one, that Father had not suddenly come to his senses and come down to their shared place.

His boots were loud against the stone floor without the steady hum of the Bat computer, usually always bright and on, making calculations and analyzing DNA, facial structures, computing satellite signals. He paused at the foot of the dinosaur statue and stood very still.

This was Father’s home.

He had statues, as he rightly should, of his accomplishments.

He was proud of Batman - and Robin, wasn’t he?

With a long breath, Damian quickly left the empty cavern and did not allow the empty chair to enter his field of vision.

* * *

 

The air was cold and attempted to bite at his nose to no avail. Damian settled on the roof tugging his cape to wrap carefully around him.

He was home.

But what should be isn’t what always is and Damian knew it was a lie.

He was sitting upon the house of the man who had forgotten him, like a pale ghost flickering in and out of sight, as the clouds drifted across the sky, obscuring the moon.

He released a puff of white air when there was a loud clatter downstairs in the kitchen.

Damian knew his home.

Nowhere else in the house was there that ceramic tile that would make that specific sound.

He knew his father, knew the mansion, knew how it all worked.

It could really only be one person.

And then he thought.

Pennyworth.

Damian could feel the anger surge inside him until he was trembling, and he wanted to break the man for stealing away from him everything that he had painstakingly earned.

A Father who wanted him.

A home that was unconditionally his.

It was his, not some servant’s, some old man’s who was not out there with them seeing Father as he should be: strong, unbreakable.

Damian swung down the roof clinging onto the edge, even as it dug into his skin, and he lowered himself down and through the kitchen window to perch on the counter top, waiting for Pennyworth to acknowledge him.

The insolent man ignored him for a very long moment before saying, “Master Damian, may I ask the reason for your sudden visit.”

“I will tell Father.”

“You will not.”

Damian climbed down from his spot and stopped at the table separating him and the butler.

Damian slammed his fists down on the table, glaring at Pennyworth, “How dare you, Pennyworth. He is my father and-”

“And he is my son,” The butler replied coldly, “Now return to your residence with Master Jason and Master Tim. It’s late. I expect that they are out searching for you.”

Damian flushed and strode forward, around the table, “They may be so foolish as to succumb to your requests due to their sentimental attachment to you, but Father’s place is as Batman. He will return to his rightful position whether you wish it or not.”

Alfred paled visibly before he replied in a strained tone, “Perhaps, Master Damian, but for now, you will say nothing to Master Bruce.”

“Father is Ba-”

Alfred’s eyes flashed dangerously and Damian faintly recalled hearing about the butler’s military history, “He is Bruce Wayne. That is the name Miss Martha and Master Thomas gave him.”

Damian stared him down before replying, “And he chose the name Batman instead, Pennyworth. What does that tell you?”

“That like every other Wayne, he is a sad fool.”

Damian swallowed and stepped back, “He will be angry at you Pennyworth. He isn’t fond of people lying to him.” He seemed to hesitate again and Alfred could see it in his eyes - even as his own old heart twinged with mistrust - that no, Master Damian would not tell Master Bruce. Instead Damian glared and in his blue eyes and young, angry face, Alfred could see the pain rippling through him - the way his expression broke, confused and vulnerable - before he turned around and left swiftly through the window.

Alfred shook his head. Master Damian had his brothers and sisters and the knowledge that his Father would be returned to him, and for so long, Master Bruce had only had him. Damian’s pain and anger was nothing compared to the age old suffering Master Bruce carried with him. When was Master Bruce not angry or sad anymore? His joy as a child was but a memory and an impossibility now- or so Alfred had thought until he had seen Master Bruce laugh, warm and finally alive.

Alfred sighed and flinched slightly when he heard the door creak.

“Oh. Hey Alfred...was that Damian I heard?” Julia stepped in carefully, closing the door as she smiled sympathetically at him.

“Indeed,” Alfred looked down at his worn hands, “he misses his father.”

Julia gave a little nod and a weak smile and then paused, considering her words before saying, “Alfred, I might not like lying to my fiance, but I understand.” She paused again and Alfred could see that she could make Master Bruce happy - she was kind, strong and sensitive - if only he would let her, “You love him more than anything in the world, don’t you?”

Alfred nodded, “I do, Miss Julia.”

It had been a very very long time since Alfred had seen light at the end of Master’s Bruce’s crusade and here it was. In the form of lies and deceit.

“I know his children will understand eventually, Alfred. It’s scary not knowing how all this information about Dick and Jason dead, Tim wounded and Damian a...surprise, how it would hurt him when he’s already confused.”

Her smile was more sad than anything and Alfred supposed that his expression must be weary.

“Well, I’ll leave you to it for now. I’m going on a date with Bruce tonight with your permission, of course. I’ll make sure to bring him back before curfew.” She winked and left quietly, her steady cheer leaving with her.

Alfred squeezed the gloves in his hands. Yes it was a betrayal of the worst kind to the children, but just a few more days, just a few more, so that Master Bruce might finally understand that he could be happy.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry if this is weird, but I can never tell if someone wants a reply to their comment or not. So if you do comment, and want a response, put an @ at the beginning!


End file.
